More than 4 million euros of damage, a fleet of hydrogen buses catches fire: an impressive plume of smoke in the middle of the night – France
Seven hydrogen buses caught fire in the middle of the night on Thursday, January 2, 2025 in Danjoutin (Territoire de Belfort). The fire was brought under control and any danger of explosion has now been eliminated. Homes near the site have been confined to limit the risk linked to air pollution.
The image is spectacular, the plume of smoke impressive, clearly visible from the A36 motorway despite the darkness. Around 2:20 a.m. on Thursday, January 2, 2025, seven hydrogen buses caught fire in the parking lot of the Optymo bus depot in Danjoutin (Territoire de Belfort), indicates the prefecture of the Territoire de Belfort.
The fire is currently contained. The incident did not cause any injuries. As a preventive measure and despite winds blowing smoke from the fire in the opposite direction, homes around the site were confined to limit the risk of air pollution, the prefecture added. The confinement was finally lifted at 6 a.m. All affected residents have been informed.
No impact on the environment
A new press release, states :
Checks and tests were carried out in a wider radius of 500 m including the commercial area, with negative results ,
” Concerning water, the fire has no impact on drinking water, assures the prefecture. Analyses are underway on discharges downstream of the site, in the ditches and in the Savoureuse. No marker currently suggests that there could be a major impact on the environment.” These results were negative.
The departmental operational center of the prefecture was activated. A large number of firefighters, 52 men at the height of the intervention, 21 vehicles in total from the various barracks in the department, were deployed. The national police were also on the scene and carried out initial observations. The Belfort public prosecutor’s office was notified and an investigation opened. The Prefect went to the scene with them.
Optymo indicates that traffic returned to normal as of 7 a.m. on the urban network. The prefecture announced the end of rescue operations at the end of the morning.
A final press release, announces:
A monitoring and analysis system is maintained on site ,
Origin of the fire unknown
The origin of this fire remains to be determined. Optymo buses, like the seven that were destroyed by the fire, allow travel in the Territoire de Belfort. They are owned by the Syndicat mixte des transports en commun du Territoire de Belfort. The Lion City, which dreams of becoming the French capital of the hydrogen sector, launched its first hydrogen-powered electric buses for its public transport in the summer of 2023, with the aim of equipping half of its fleet with them by 2025.
The hydrogen refueling station next to the depot was apparently not affected, but the cost of the disaster is already expected to be high. The unit price of a bus is nearly 700,000 euros, compared to around 280,000 euros for a diesel bus, specifies Agence France Presse.
READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central
More than 4 million euros of damage, a fleet of hydrogen buses catches fire: an impressive plume of smoke in the middle of the night – France, source
